Being Strong Does Not Mean Suppressing Your Emotions

What if emotional softness is actually part of what makes us strong?In this episode of The Almost Daily Podcast and the Men’s Mental Health Series, I talk about the relationship between vulnerability, emotional awareness, and the version of strength many of us were taught to value.For a lot of men, the message was pretty straightforward.Be tough.Handle it.Do not show too much emotion.Keep moving.The problem is that having emotions was never optional. We were still feeling everything. A lot of us simply were not taught what to do with those feelings once they showed up.I talk about why being connected to your emotions can actually help you handle pressure, why a productive relationship with a therapist can provide tools you can use outside of therapy, and why vulnerability does not take anything away from focus, consistency, resilience, or follow through.In many ways, I think the softer parts help hold the stronger parts together.I also talk about why this can take time. If someone has spent decades suppressing emotions or tying their identity to being the strong one, opening up can challenge the way they see themselves.That deserves patience.At the same time, struggling to process emotions never removes our responsibility for how we treat other people. We can give ourselves compassion while still taking responsibility for our actions and responses.And although I spend a lot of time talking specifically with men about this, the larger message applies to everybody.Human beings have emotions.We need room to feel them, understand them, work through them, express them constructively, and sometimes let them go.If you are in the United States and experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also chat through the 988 Lifeline online. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.